James Joseph Larraaga is a college basketball coach from the United States. He is the head coach of the men’s basketball team at the University of Miami. He’s been in this job since 2011.
At George Mason, he led the Patriots to 13 straight winning seasons and became a media sensation during the Patriots’ unlikely run to the Final Four of the 2006 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. Since the late 1970s, when he became a head coach, Larraaga has won over 700 games and multiple national coach of the year accolades.
Behind every successful man, there is a woman. The same holds true for Jim Larranaga, the head coach. His wife, Liz Larranaga, has been his constant support and pillar of strength throughout his journey as a basketball coach. In this article, we’ll talk about their relationship in detail.
Know About Jim And Liz’s Love Story
Jim and Liz first met in the early 1960s in their neighborhood in The Bronx. Liz used to attend community dances at The Bronx Irish Center, where Jim asked her to dance, and they hit it off. They started dating until Jim began attending Providence College. Liz couldn’t afford to attend college, so she started working at the NYC Department of Relocation. Despite the long distance, their love blossomed, and they got married in 1971.
The couple moved to North Carolina, where Jim started his coaching career as an assistant coach at Davidson College. Since then, they have moved numerous times, as is common for NCAA coaches. Liz has been with Jim every step of the way, supporting him through the ups and downs of his career. She has said that upon marriage, she realized what kind of life they would be living – a basketball-centric one.
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The Couple Has Two Kids
Jim and Liz have two fully grown sons, Jay and Jon. Jon is leading a normal life, while Jay has followed in his father’s footsteps and is currently an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics. Despite their busy schedules, Jim and Liz have managed to raise their children well, instilling in them the values of hard work, dedication, and perseverance.
One interesting anecdote that has been shared about Liz involves a dinner at Outback Steakhouse. When Jim was the head coach of Bowling Green, he used to take the whole team to Outback Steakhouse for dinner the night before a big game day. Liz used to come along and hang out with the team. On one such occasion, Liz saw that a bunch of players had ordered lobster tails and asked Jim if it would be alright if she got one too. Jim made a smart-alecky remark about Liz enjoying being on scholarship, and Liz fired back that she deserved it since she had been “a walk-on for thirty-five years.” It’s clear that Liz has a great sense of humor and can hold her own.
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Liz Larranaga may not be a public figure, but she has been an integral part of Jim Larranaga’s success as a basketball coach. Her unwavering support, love, and dedication have helped Jim achieve his dreams and become the successful coach he is today. It’s inspiring to see the love and partnership that they share, and it goes to show that behind every great man, there is a great woman.